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November | 2015 | Well-being in Hong Kong
Monthly Archives

November 2015

Understand the full range of Muslim viewpoints – beyond the shrill headlines and biased social media

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Stephen Tsang & Paul Yip

Stephen Tsang and Paul Yip warn against succumbing to the easy answers informed by a simplistic understanding of Muslim thinking, in the wake of deadly terrorist violence

In the wake of the Paris atrocities and the imminent threat of more attacks, we are surrounded by a growing number of talking heads and cleverly worded posts and hashtags on social media telling us what to do and how to think: “Pray for Paris”, “Don’t pray for Paris”, “Islam is for peace”, “Islam is sharia”, “Islam is IS”. In such an environment, we find ourselves wanting to do something. However, it is important to make an informed choice. Having a too simplistic view of such a complicated conflict is inane. We need an educated viewpoint; we need to see past all the emotion-laden pictures.

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探討香港貧窮問題系列(三) 香港扶貧工作:對焦和有效的干預

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葉兆輝  |  陳夢妮

為更準確、全面了解香港的貧窮情况,在前兩篇文章我們先後拆解了2009 至2014 年間本港貧窮率(rate)、貧窮人數(size)的變化和貧窮差距(poverty gap)的變化。借此二文,我們意在強調對於本港貧窮狀况的度量,需同時考察貧窮的闊度(即貧窮率及貧窮人數)和深度(即貧窮差距)。本文聚焦扶貧政策,從闊度和深度兩個角度考察政府政策介入的效果。

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樓價貴未解決 增公屋助安居

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葉兆輝

本屆政府在上月的扶貧委員會高峰會中公布了2014年香港貧窮情況報告,報告中額外強調公屋的重要扶貧效果。

政府的分析顯示貧窮人口及貧窮率都有顯著下降,由2013年的132萬人(19%)減至96萬人(14.3%),若將公屋的非現金轉移也量化計入住戶收入時,整體貧窮率會額外下降4.7個百分點至9.6%,此扶貧成效甚至高過支出每年超過200多億的綜援現金恒常援助。

筆者近期也針對公屋為健康所帶來的影響進行了相關研究,結果正好呼應了公屋政策對於扶貧的顯著效果。我們發現公屋政策可泯除社經弱勢所造成的健康不平等,為處於健康弱勢的居民帶來好處。

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On Second Thought: Hong Kong must develop abilities of less gifted youngsters

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Paul Yip

A new joint-school career-planning initiative called “Shape Our Future: WeCan! – Project WeCan Career Exploration Day” hosted by Wharf Holdings was launched last month. The programme serves about 50 schools in the current school year. The programme targets Form Four students and aims to enhance students’ self-understanding and motivation in career planning, and offers vocational assessments, job tasters, star talks, workshops and consultation sessions for students, teachers and parents.

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投資青年紓解老齡化

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葉兆輝

中國政府最近宣布廢除已經實行35年的「一孩政策」,改為推行「二孩政策」,希望此舉能減低人口老齡化的壓力,避免不可持續的人口結構所帶來的潛在危機。目前,中國60歲或以上的老年人口佔總人口15%,這比例預計到2050年翻一番。儘管在過去的20年裏,中國經濟發展取得令人矚目的成績,但是中國人「未富先老」的風險亦逐漸成為現實,老年人口比例的快速增長,為退休和養老體系帶來巨大的資金壓力。

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Two-child policy is essential if China is to avoid a demographic crisis

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Paul Yip

Beijing’s announcement that it is relaxing its 35-year-old one-child policy should be welcomed. It is a timely and correct decision; hopefully, it can mitigate the ageing pressure in China and avoid the potential demographic crisis arising from a very skewed and unsustainable population distribution.

At present, about 15 per cent of China’s population is aged 60 or over and that figure is expected to double by 2050.

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